Senate Agriculture Committee

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman held a markup hearing on his version of the Farm Bill, but the measure failed to move forward due to a 10-11 vote against it. Although debates over SNAP funding are blocking passage, the legislation governs vast agricultural policy and contains crucial provisions for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect broadband program.

Theresa Bruner, President of the Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia, is urging Sen. Jim Justice to support the Greyhound Protection Act in the Senate Agriculture Committee to end state-subsidized greyhound racing.

Senators are working to advance a long-delayed farm bill ahead of a congressional recess, with the House having passed a version in April. The Senate committee faces challenges over changes to the food stamp program, including disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over reducing error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Senators are working to advance a long-delayed farm bill after years of partisan disagreements, with the Senate Agriculture Committee aiming to markup the bill before an August recess. The House passed a farm bill in April 2024, but Senate negotiations face challenges over changes to the food stamp program, particularly provisions that would shift costs to states based on error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Senators are working to advance a long-delayed farm bill, which establishes national farming and nutrition policies. The Senate Agriculture Committee aims to finalize the bill before an August recess, following the House's passage in April. Partisan disagreements and challenges over changes to the SNAP program, including cost shifts for states, have complicated progress.

Advocates and public health experts urge Congress to delay a Republican-backed law requiring states to share costs for SNAP benefits, which will go into effect in October 2027. The law, signed by President Donald Trump, mandates states with high SNAP error rates to cover some program costs, leading to a reduction of 4.5 million beneficiaries, including 1.5 million children. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the changes will reduce federal spending by $190 billion over 10 years.

Sen. Mitch McConnell's hospitalization is hindering Senate Republicans' efforts to advance a farm bill before the August recess. The absence of McConnell, a key vote, complicates passing the legislation along party lines, as Democrats oppose the bill for excluding their SNAP cost-share delay demands.

Senate Republicans' farm bill proposal excludes Democrats' demand to delay a shift of food aid costs to states, risking bipartisan support. Democrats plan to oppose the bill without this delay, which is set to start in October 2027. The draft also omits Republican priorities like year-round E15 fuel sales and restrictions on state animal welfare laws.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the Senate to pass comprehensive crypto legislation to secure U.S. financial leadership and protect the dollar's global status. Two competing bills—the House's CLARITY Act and the Senate Agriculture Committee's Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act—remain stalled as reconciliation efforts progress.